This article isn’t exactly a football story, said David Holmes. This, he assured, is a “real positive attitude story.” The football aspect of it is secondary.

Holmes, president of the Brockville Buccaneers Football Association, has come in to coach the BCI Red Rams football team in replace of Tom Bell, who is away on medical leave.

Holmes doesn’t take any of the glory as to being the reason BCI is fielding a football team this year. Instead he puts the spotlight on his players.

Before stopping himself short, Holmes pointed to teenagers like Derek Pryer, Ryan Sands, Robbie McAdams, Sam Batu, and Sam Gray that helped get the team going.

“There’s so many names it’s hard to isolate just one. I would feel bad if I missed anybody,” Holmes said, wanting to focus on his team working as a group to get on the field instead of highlighting just a few players.

The Red Rams football fate was up in the air until this past Tuesday morning when they got approval by the Eastern Ontario Football Conference convener, said Holmes.

That didn’t stop more than 30 BCI students going to the equipment room Monday after school – the day before the official approval – to try and pick up their gear.

“That’s how driven all these kids were,” said Holmes. “It was pretty neat, but I’m not giving out equipment until we get confirmation from the convener and that we have teacher support.”

They ended up getting both. The Red Rams players were the ones who made all this happen. They reached out to Holmes asking if he would step in. They went around school recruiting players. They hounded the administration to make sure they got on the field in time for game time.

“The players were all over the administration, but not in a negative way. They just wanted to have a team really badly,” said Holmes, adding the players followed him around school this past Monday to get the latest updates when their new coach was there to speak with BCI principal Chris Boston to iron out some of the program’s details.

“BCI football had the support of the school,” added Holmes. “I think the optics are good from the players, the school, parents, and community that they were on board to get this program going. It’s much easier to say no and let it flame out, they didn’t.”

The Red Rams are the only Brockville school with a football team this year. BCI halted its football program in 2015, but revived it the following season.

If these BCI players take the same approach they used to make sure they have a team this year – drive, enthusiasm, never-give-up attitude, teamwork, determination, etc. – then they’ll be fine when they get on the field.

BCI is in an advantageous situation with 35 players on the roster. It’s easier for Holmes to count the players with no football experience instead of adding up the players who also play at the club level as well. That’s not the case for a lot of area schools.

“I think 30, maybe,” said Holmes when tallying up the Red Rams football players with experience. “I’m trying to think of the newbies and I don’t think there’s that many.”

BCI’s first practice was held Tuesday with equipment. With so many students with football experience, Holmes said the focus isn’t necessarily how to be a football player. The focal point is how to be a football team and on Thursday the Red Rams planned to work on systems.

Their first game is next Friday on the road against North Grenville.

In Holmes’eyes, the Red Rams have already won and met his expectations this season by getting on the field in the first place.

“I’m pretty proud of them,” said Holmes. “It’s a huge commitment for me, but one of the reasons why I committed is because of their attitudes. It’s been really phenomenal to see how driven they are.”